Mobile toy vehicle



Aug. 28, 1962 w. L. MORSE MOBILE 'roy VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledFeb. 16, 1961 INVENTOR.

Aug. 28, 1962 w. L.. MORSE MOBILE TOY VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Shec-z'l'I 2Filed Feb. 16, 1961 IN VEN TOR. NIL l IAM L 0R55 United States Patent3,059,904 MQBILE TOY VEHICLE William L. Morse, lmaquah, Wash., assignerto Pre-Controls, Inc., Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Washington FiledFeb. i6, 1961, Ser. No. 89,692

6 Claims. (Cl. 45-213) This invention relates to improvements in mobiletoy vehicles and more particularly to a toy that simulates an automobileoil truck and which is equipped with novel means for its self propulsionand also with novel means for controlling its direction of travel whilebeing propelled.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a toy vehicle ofthe character above stated wherein the power for its propulsion isderived from and by novel use of a vacuum cylinder in which a vacuum maybe drawn by the retraction ,of a piston contained therein, and whichpiston may then be moved by the force of atmospheric air acting againstit, to eiect the propulsion of the vehicle through its propellinggearing.

It is also an object of this invention to provide the toy vehicle ofthis invention with a steering mechanism whereby the normal forwarddirection of its travel may be altered so as to effect lateral turningin either direction and to various degrees or arcuate extent at selectedlocations along a course of travel.

Yet, another object of this invention resides in the provision of rightturn and left turn indicating lamps on the vehicle and a novel means foroperation of their circuit controlling switches.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention reside in thedetails of construction and combination of parts for powering thevehicle; in the vehicle propelling gearing and in its steering devicesand their controls, as will hereinafter be rfully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a central longitudinal section of a toy vehicle embodying theimprovements of the present invention therein.

FIG. la is an enlarged fragmental detail view showing a part of thesteering control means.

IFIG. 2 is an underside plan view of the vehicle shown in `FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental sectional view, taken on line 3-3 inFIG. l, particularly illustrating the steel belt connection operativelyconnecting the piston of the vacuum cylinder with a power transmissionor drive shaft contained in the rear end closing wall of the vacuumcylinder;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section of the vehicle, taken on line 4 4 inFIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of .the wheel steering direction controlmeans as seen from its underside.

IFIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken Aon line 6-6' in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of one of the direction changing tabs or cams asapplied to the wheel steering plate, indicating it in various positionsof adjustment.

PIG. 8 is a longitudinal section of the vacuum cylinder wherein thepiston is equipped with an alternative form of power transmission meansin connection with the vehicle driving gearing.

rReferring more in detail to the drawings.

As shown ybest in FIGS. 1 and 2, the present mobile toy vehicle isdesigned to simulate a present day oil truck comprising a chassis orframe structure 10 mounting a cab 11 at its forward end and equippedrearwardly of the cab, ywith an elongated air tight cylinder 12 in which3,659,9@4 Patented Aug. 28, 1962 a piston 13 is reciprocally tted. Atits forward and rearward ends, the cylinder 12 is closed by walls 14 and15, respectively.

At its rear end the chassis is mounted on and is supported by a crossaxle 18 equipped at its end with the vehicle rear supporting and drivingwheels 2li-20 and at its forward end is supported by a rigidly fixedcrossbar 21 equipped at its ends with the usual steering knuckles 22-22mounting the front end steering wheels 24-24; the knuckles at oppositeend of the cross-member 21 being joined by a cross-bar 25.

The rear end closure wall of the vacuum cylinder 12 is recessed as shownat 26 in lFIG. 3 and rotatably mounts a power transmission shaft thereinwhich shaft, at its lower end, has a fixed driving connection with apower transmission gear 31 operating in driving -mesh with a relativelysmall gear wheel 32, see FIG. 1, that is fixed on a vertical shaft 33which, at its lower end, mounts a bevel gear wheel 34 which is indriving mesh with a smaller bevel gear wheel 35 fixed on the cross axle18. n

Fixed centrally to the piston 13 is one end of a thin, ribbon-like stripof spring steel 38 which, at its other, or rear end, is attached to andadapted to be wound onto the vertical transmission shaft 30, as has beenillustrated in FIG. 3; this ribbon-like strip 3S -being .the meansthrough `which the driving power is transmitted from the piston 13 tothe transmission shaft 30.

it is further to be observed by reference'to FIGS. 1 and 2 that a shafti0 extends lengthwise of and beneath the chassis ,and is rotatablysupported near its ends and at a medial point in bearings 41 formed inparts of Ithe chassis. At its rear end, this shaft has a bevel gearpinion 42 keyed thereon meshing with the -bevel gear wheel 34. At itsyforward end the shaft @il is equipped with a clutch collar 44 withwhich a `driving connection may be made by a crank 45 -for manuallyturning the shaft 40 in such direction as to effect, through theconnecting train of gears 31, 33, 34 and 42, the winding of the steelbelt 33 on shaft 3th and in this way effect pulling of the piston 13from a position at the forward end of the' cylinder 12, back to the rearend thereof and by this movement of the piston to establish a conditionof vacuum' in the forward end of the cylinder 12. Provision has beenmade for admittance of air into the cylinder -through a hole 48 in itsrear end wall 15 thus to cause atmospheric air pressure to force thepiston forwardly in the cylinder and by its movement .to unwind the belt38 from shaft 30 Ithus to cause the rotation o'f the shaft 30 and thecrossshaft 1S for forward propulsion of the vehicle. Air pressureagainst the :piston remains constant throughout its full distance oftravel.

Steering of the vehicle is effected by means well shown in FIGS. l, 2and 5 to comprise a flat plate 5G that is disposed horizontally andlongitudinally within the forward end portion of the chassissymmetrically between its opposite side limits. lt is shown in FIG. lthat plate 5t) is pivotally supported at its rear end in a cross member5l of the chassis as at '52 and at its forward end has a pivotalconnection as at 53 with .the steering knuckle connecting cross-bar 25.Normally, the vehicles front steeringV wheels are held in a straightahead steering position by a pin 54, Shown` in FIG. la to be slidablycontained for endwise movement in a hole 55 in the front end supportingcross-'nember 2i of the chassis, with its pointed outer end seated in aforwardly facing V-shaped notch Soin the steering knuckle connectingcross-bar 25. A spring 57 acts yieldingly against the pin to resistitsforward movement and cause its rearend to act with camming pressureagainst the side walls of the tl-shaped notch to yieldingly retain thewheels 24 in straight forward steering position, but yieldable to permitturning under control of the -means now to be described: It is to beobserved by reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, that the forward portion ofshaft 40 is threadedas at 49', and that Ya, nut 69 is threaded thereonfor travel between forward and rearward stops 61 and 62 tixed on theshaft. The .nut 6h has horizontal wings 63 and 64 extending to Oppositesides mounting rollers 65 and 66 therein.

Extending lengthwise of the plate Si) at opposite sides thereof inslightly diverging relationship in the rearward direction, are slots 67and 68 and mounted for adjustment to various positions along these slotsare tabs or blocks 69 whereby lateral turning of the vehicle, as it isVforwardly propelled, is effected.

It has been shown in the several views that there are two tabs 6?applied to the plate slots at each of the opposite sides of shaftV di?.EachV tab is here shown to be in the form of a three armed block, seeFIG. 7, that is adjustably fixed in position bya'bolt 72k that extendsrotatably through the block and the plate slot 67 or 63 with which thetab is associated. The tabs may, when their bolts Yare loosened, bemoved to selected positions along the plate slots and there secured bytightening their securing nuts. Also, it is to be understood that eachtabrnay be rotatably adjusted to cause any one of its three armsY tobecome eiective in the steering'operationV to the forward end of shaft4G and rthat it shall be turnedV in such direction as to wind the belt38 on the transmission shaft 3i) to suchV extent thatV the piston willbe pulled thereby to the rear end of cylinder 12, Then, when the vehicleis placed on the floor or surface for travel, the piston .is forcedforwardly by atmospheric pressure and power for vehicle propulsion isexerted by belt 38 to turnshaft 34) and the vehicle is thus caused totravel forwardly as the shaft turns.

The rate of travel of the vehicle may be controlled by use ofa governordevice lA This is shown in FIGS. 1

Y and 2 to'be driven by geared connection,-as at Si?, from shaft dit;the governor beingequipped withaspeed regu-L lating lever $2, thatextends to one side of the chassis for "1.

easy adjustment.V

It is to be understood that,as the shaft 46 rotates with distance ofangular swing of the plate 59 nut 69 as it approaches the pivoted end ofplate 50.k

Operating in conjunction with the Vehicle steering devices is adirection signal system which utilizes righ and left turn signal lampsat front and rear ends of the vehicle. These lamps are of the usualsmall battery operated type and are designated in FIG. 2 at 90.-9) and91-91.. Batteries for their lighting are designated at 92. The circuitconnections for the lamps are designated by numeral 93 and areconventional. It is shown thatV the two lamps at each of the oppositesidesrare controlled individually by switches 94 and 95, mounted atopposite sides of the shaft-40 as shown best in FIG. 2. These switchesare normally open, but each has a yieldable push rod 96 for closing it.Acam 97 mounted eccentrially` 96 of the switch toward which the turnis'being made thus Q to cause the lamps at that side to intermittentlyVflash. When the wheels straighten up Vfor forward travel, Vthe flashingwill be discontinued by reason of the shifting of the cam 97.

lt is anticipated also Vthat instead of utilizing a governor."

' mechanism, as shown in FIGS. l and 2, to control rate of travel of thevehicle, that the admittance of atmospheric air to the cylinder might becontrolied by use of or slower rate of travel.

In FIG. 8, anV alternative driving connection for the wheels 3i? isshown. This view shows the piston '1.3 as

Y moved to the rear end of the cylinder l2 by atmospheric the forwardtravel of the vehicle, the nut 6h moves forwardly on the threadedportion 40 of the shaft 4Q and byrcamming Contact of the rollers 65 and66 on the nut with the tabs or yblocks 69 as positioned on plate 50 thatthe plate is4 actuated to'one or'` the lother Vside and the steeringWheels 24 are directed accordingly to effect turning, and the extent-ofturning is established by the length of contact time. "It will beunderstood by reference Vto FIG. 2, that as the nut 6h shifts forwardly,the rollers 65 and 66 will engage the inwardly directed arms of tabs 69with camming action and affect the swinging of plater50 for turning Vthesteering wheels to the extent provided vfor,depending.on the location ofthe tabs along the plate from it, means for manually turning said drive.shaft to r effect the winding of said ybelt thereon with' the incident'In further explanation of this steering operation, it is to i be notedin FIG. 2,Y that the plate50 has a succession of graduations markedthereon by whichthe positions of tabsmay ibe judged for effectingturning' after predeter-V mined distances of vehicle travel, thus tocause the vertical to go any selectedv distance'within its limits, thento turn right, or left and to return -to starting position if such is`desired.

1Thetab 69 as shown in FIG. 7 has its arms so established in length andin contact surface, asv to provide for a right Aangle turn, a Uturn,ra45 turn, and no trn. The forwardlyy converging relationship of the slotsas observed in IFIG. 2 isto compensate for thegreater pressure. A strongwire strand itl-Ii extends forwardly i from the piston over a sheavewheel itil mounted in the front end closing wall ld then down over asheave wheel succession of loops M5 between block 163 and a fixed pulleyblock M6, and at its end is anchored to and woundV about a wheel'drivingshaft it?? with a geared 4driving connection as at idd, with cross-shaft1S. This form of cable connection iii@ serves the same purpose asthe1oeltA 3S previously described `but in the several loops 165 as providedin the cable ldd connection betweenblocks 163 and lil-4. provides for agreater length'of vehicle travel and.L has certain advantages, such as,forgexamplaritislighter cylinder being sealed against entry ofatmospheric air at one end, and having an atmospheric air passageYin'its i other end, a rotatably mounted drive shaft for-the vehicle Awheels located adjacent the last mentioned, end of the ,cyl-V' Y inder,a flexible belt connected at one end to saidpist'on,Y

and at its other end to said shaft for winding onto and pulling of theVpiston away from the sealed end of the` cylinder and the establishment'of a condition of vacuum in that end whereby Vthe pressureofatmospheric4 air Y against the piston'will cause its travel inthecylind'erand by the incidentrrotati'on of said driveshaft'withtlieun-` Y Y winding of the'belt therefrom, will cause thedriving of.V

the vehicle wheels. v

2. In a wheel mounted toy the frame and fitted with a piston; saidcylinderbeing comprising a frame thatis f equipped at its front and rearends, respectively, withVr l steering and drivingwheels, a vacuumcylinder lixed in having an atmospheric air -port at its other end, arotatably mounted drive shaft for said driving wheels, a flexible bandconnected at one end to said piston and at its other end to saidrotatably mounted drive shaft for winding said band from and onto it, amanually operable winding shaft geared to the drive shaft and operableto effect the Winding of said lbelt thereon and the incident travel ofthe piston in the cylinder to establish a condition of vacuum at oneside thereof; said winding shaft having a non-rotatable nut threaded fortravel thereon, a steering plate pivoted at one end in the vehicle forlateral adjustment at its other end and having operative connection atsaid other end with means for steering control of said steering wheels,and tabs applied to said plate engageable -by said nut in its travel onsaid winding shaft as it rotates with travel of the vehicle to actuatethe steering plate and effect steering adjustment of said steeringWheels.

3. A combination according to claim 2 wherein said non-rotating nut asthreaded for travel on said winding shaft is equipped with cammingrollers at opposite sides of the shaft, and wherein said steering plate,as pivotally supported at one end and operatively connected at its otherend with the means for actuation of the steering wheels, horizontallyoverlies the winding shaft and is formed along opposite sides of theshaft with longitudinal slots and said tabs are adjustable in and alongsaid slots and are adapted to be secured for engagement by said rollersto eiect lateral turning of the Vehicle to the extent provided for bythe camming action of the nut rollers with the tabs and at predeterminedpoints along the course of travel of the vehicle according to thelocation of the tabs along the threaded shaft.

4. A combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for manuallyturning said drive shaft includes a rotatably mounted winding shaft, andmeans at one end of said winding shaft for the functional application ofa Winding crank for turning the Winding shaft.

5. A combination of parts according to claim 4 wherein said Windingshaft rotates in accordance with the rotation of said drive shaft indriving the vehicle and a governor mechanism having a driving connectionwith said winding shaft yand operable thereby to control travel speed ofthe vehicle.

6. A combination according to claim 4 wherein said winding shaft isthreaded along a part thereof and a nut is threaded onto said threadedpart of the winding shaft for travel therealong and wheel steering meansfor the vehicle actuatable by the said nut in its travel along thewinding shaft to change the direction of travel of the vehicle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS819,653 Hawke May 1, 1906 827,021 Johnston July 24, 1906 1,383,661Raspotnik July 5, 1921

